John Calvin Commentary Matthew 7

Judge not. These words of Christ do not contain an absolute prohibition from judging, but are intended to cure a disease that appears to be natural to us all. We see how everyone flatters themselves, and each person passes severe censure on others. This vice is attended by a strange enjoyment, for there is hardly anyone who is not intrigued by the desire to inquire into other people’s faults.

Indeed, all acknowledge that it is an intolerable evil when those who overlook their own vices are so harsh towards their brothers. The pagans, too, in ancient times, condemned it in many proverbs. Yet it has existed in all ages and still exists today. Moreover, it is accompanied by another and a worse plague, for most people think that by condemning others, they acquire a greater freedom to sin.

This depraved eagerness for biting, censuring, and slandering is restrained by Christ when He says, Judge not. It is not necessary that believers should become blind and perceive nothing, but only that they should refrain from an undue eagerness to judge: for otherwise, the proper bounds of rigor will be exceeded by anyone who desires to pass sentence on his brothers. There is a similar expression in the Apostle James: Be not many masters, (James 3:1). For he does not discourage or withdraw believers from discharging the office of teachers but forbids them to desire honor from motives of ambition. To judge, therefore, means here to be influenced by curiosity in inquiring into the actions of others. This disease, first, continually brings with it the injustice of condemning any trivial fault as if it were a very heinous crime; and second, it breaks out into the insolent presumption of looking disdainfully at every action and passing an unfavourable judgment on it, even when it might be viewed in a good light.

We now see that Christ’s design was to guard us against indulging excessive eagerness, peevishness, malignity, or even curiosity in judging our neighbors. He who judges according to the word and law of the Lord, and forms his judgment by the rule of charity, always begins by examining himself and preserves a proper balance and order in his judgments. Hence it is evident that this passage is altogether misapplied by those who would desire to make the moderation Christ recommends a pretence for setting aside all distinction between good and evil. We are not only permitted but are even bound to condemn all sins, unless we choose to rebel against God Himself—indeed, to repeal His laws, reverse His decisions, and overturn His judgment seat. It is His will that we should proclaim the sentence He pronounces on human actions; only we must preserve such modesty towards each other as to make it clear that He is the only Lawgiver and Judge (Isaiah 33:22).

That you may not be judged. He denounces a punishment against those severe judges who take so much delight in sifting the faults of others. They will not be treated by others with greater kindness but will, in turn, experience the same severity they had exercised towards others. As nothing is dearer or more valuable to us than our reputation, so nothing is more bitter than to be condemned or exposed to public reproach and infamy.

And yet, it is by our own fault that we draw upon ourselves that very thing which our nature so strongly detests. For who among us does not examine too severely the actions of others, manifest undue rage against slight offenses, or peevishly censure what was, in itself, indifferent? And what is this but deliberately provoking God, as our avenger, to treat us in the same manner?

Now, although it is a just judgment of God that those who have judged others should be punished in their turn, the Lord executes this punishment through human agency. Chrysostom and others limit this statement to the present life, but that is a forced interpretation. Isaiah threatens (Isaiah 33:1) that those who have spoiled others shall be spoiled. Similarly, our Lord means that there will be no lack of executioners to punish the injustice and slander of people with equal bitterness or severity. And if people fail to receive punishment in this world, those who have shown undue eagerness in condemning their brothers will not escape the judgment of God.

And why do you see the straw? He specifically addresses a fault commonly found in hypocrites. While they are overly perceptive in identifying the faults of others, and use not only severe but deliberately exaggerated language in describing them, they throw their own sins behind their backs, or are so clever in finding excuses for them, that they wish to be considered excusable even for very serious offenses. Christ therefore rebukes both evils: the excessive shrewdness, which stems from a lack of charity, when we scrutinize the faults of our brothers and sisters too closely, and the self-indulgence with which we defend and cling to our own sins.

Give not that which is holy. It is unnecessary to repeat more often that Matthew gives us here detached sentences, which should not be viewed as a continuous discourse. The present instruction is not at all connected with what came immediately before but is entirely separate from it. Christ reminds the Apostles, and through them, all the teachers of the Gospel, to reserve the treasure of heavenly wisdom for the children of God alone, and not to expose it to unworthy and profane despisers of his word.

But here a question arises: for He afterwards commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature, (Mark 16:15); and Paul says that the preaching of it is a deadly savor to wicked men, (2 Corinthians 2:16). And nothing is more certain than that it is every day held out to unbelievers, by the command of God, for a testimony, that they may be rendered the more inexcusable.

I reply: As the ministers of the Gospel, and those who are called to the office of teaching, cannot distinguish between the children of God and swine, it is their duty to present the doctrine of salvation indiscriminately to all. Though many may appear to them, at first, to be hardened and unyielding, yet charity forbids that such persons should be immediately pronounced to be desperate.

It should be understood that dogs and swine are names given not to every kind of debauched men, or to those who are destitute of the fear of God and of true godliness, but to those who, by clear evidences, have manifested a hardened contempt of God, so that their disease appears to be incurable. In another passage, Christ places the dogs in contrast with the elect people of God and the household of faith, It is not proper to take the children’s bread, and give it to dogs, (Matthew 15:27). But by dogs and swine He means here those who are so thoroughly imbued with a wicked contempt of God, that they refuse to accept any remedy.

Hence it is evident, how grievously the words of Christ are tortured by those who think that He limits the doctrine of the Gospel to those only who are teachable and well-prepared. For what will be the consequence, if nobody is invited by pious teachers, until by his obedience he has anticipated the grace of God? On the contrary, we are all by nature unholy, and prone to rebellion. The remedy of salvation must be refused to none, until they have rejected it so basely when offered to them, as to make it evident that they are reprobate and self-condemned, (αὐτοκατάκριτοι,) as Paul says of heretics, (Titus 3:11).

There are two reasons why Christ forbade that the Gospel should be offered to lost despisers. It is an open profanation of the mysteries of God to expose them to the taunts of wicked men. Another reason is that Christ intended to comfort His disciples, so that they might not cease to bestow their labors on the elect of God in teaching the Gospel, though they saw it wantonly rejected by wicked and ungodly men. His meaning is, lest this inestimable treasure should be held in little estimation, swine and dogs must not be permitted to approach it. There are two designations which Christ bestows on the doctrine of salvation: He calls it holy, and compares it to pearls. Hence we learn how highly we should esteem this doctrine.

Lest these trample them under their feet: Christ appears to distinguish between the swine and the dogs, attributing brutal stupidity to the swine, and rage to the dogs. And certainly, experience shows that there are two such classes of despisers of God. Whatever is taught in Scripture, for instance, about the corrupt nature of man, free justification, and eternal election, is turned by many into an encouragement to sloth and to carnal indulgence. Such persons are fitly and justly pronounced to be swine. Others, again, tear the pure doctrine, and its ministers, with sacrilegious reproaches, as if they threw away all desire to do well, all fear of God, and all care for their salvation. Although He employs both names to describe the incurable opponents of the Word of God, yet, by a twofold comparison, He points out briefly in what respect the one differs from the other.

Ask, and it shall be given you. It is an exhortation to prayer. As in this exercise of religion, which ought to be our first concern, we are so careless and sluggish, Christ presses the same thing upon us under three forms of expression. There is no superfluity of language when He says, Ask, seek, knock: but lest the simple doctrine should be unimpressive, He perseveres in order to rouse us from our inactivity.

Such is also the design of the promises that are added: Ye shall find, it shall be given to you, and it shall be opened. Nothing is better adapted to excite us to prayer than a full conviction that we shall be heard. Those who doubt can only pray in an indifferent manner; and prayer, unaccompanied by faith, is an idle and unmeaning ceremony. Accordingly, Christ, in order to excite us powerfully to this part of our duty, not only enjoins what we ought to do, but promises that our prayers shall not be fruitless.

This ought to be carefully observed. First, we learn from it that this rule of prayer is laid down and prescribed to us so that we may be fully convinced that God will be gracious to us and will listen to our requests. Again, whenever we engage in prayer, or whenever we feel that our ardor in prayer is not sufficiently strong, we ought to remember the gentle invitation by which Christ assures us of God’s fatherly kindness. Each of us, trusting to the grace of Christ, will thus attain confidence in prayer and will venture freely to call upon God

“through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom (as Paul says)
we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him,”
(Ephesians 3:11–12).

But, as we are too prone to distrust, Christ, in order to correct this fault also, repeats the promise in a variety of words. He uses the metaphor seek, because we think that those things which our wants and necessities require are far distant from us — and knock, because our carnal senses imagine that those things which are not immediately at hand are shut up.

For every one that asks receives. Some think that this is a proverbial saying taken from common life, but I am more inclined to a different view. Christ presents the grace of his Father to those who pray. He tells us that God is of himself prepared to listen to us, provided we pray to him, and that his riches are at our command, provided we ask them.

These words imply that those who are destitute of what is necessary, and yet do not resort to this remedy for their poverty, are justly punished for their slothfulness. It is certain, indeed, that often, when believers are asleep, God keeps watch over their salvation and anticipates their wishes. Nothing could be more miserable for us than that, amidst our great indifference, or—I would rather say—amidst our great stupidity, God were to wait for our prayers, or that, amidst our great thoughtlessness, he were to take no notice of us.

Moreover, it is only from himself that he is induced to bestow on us faith, which goes before all prayers in order and in time. But as Christ here addresses disciples, he merely reminds us how our heavenly Father is pleased to bestow on us his gifts. Though he gives all things freely to us, yet, in order to exercise our faith, he commands us to pray, that he may grant to our requests those blessings which flow from his undeserved goodness.